Shoe-shaping machine



13 1927. Sept N. L. GULLIFORD SHOE SHAPING MACHINE Filed Aug. 2, 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet l 1,641,968 Sept 1927' N. L. GULLIFORD SHOE SHAPING MACHINE:

Filed Aug. 2, 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 13 1 2 Sept 9 7 N. 1.. GULLIFORD SHOE SHAPING MACHINE Filed Aug. 2, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 13 1 Sept 927 N. GULLIFORD SHOE SHAFINGMACHINE Filed Aug. 2, 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Sept. 13, 1927.

UNITED STATES 1,641,968:- PATENT YO FF ICE .JQ

NICHOLAS L. GULLIFORD, OF PEAIBODY, MASSACHUSETTS, AS SIGNOR TO GREGORY 8a 1 HEAD COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHU- sE'rrrs.

' snoE-snarme MACHINE.

.Application mm August 2, 1323. Serial N0.;655',180.

My invention relates to machines for shaping the-soles of boots and-shoes and particularly toa new machine for operating upon or beveling the heel portion of an outer 5 sole to give to the same the proper shape to receive upon it the heel of the boot or shoe. In the manufacture of boots and shoes of certain classes, especially womens shoes having-wooden heels, it has heretofore been customary to make the heels with a concaved top so that, the marginal portion of said top would seat againstithe shoe thus avoiding openings or cracks between the. heel and shoe. 1 It has'also been customary, and in most cases desirable or necessary, to bevel the marginal portion of the outer side of the heel portion of the outer'sole to give to it the proper convex shape. to 'fit into the concaved to of the heel,'therebyensuring contact oft e outer edge of the concaved top side of the heel with the upper just outside of the edge of the sole of the boot or shoe to hide'the heel ortion ofthe outer sole. This beveling of t e marginal part of the heel portion of the sole to prepare it for the reception ofthe heel has never heretofore been successfully performed, so far as I am aware, except manually by means of a knife in the hands of a skilled workman, and the new cutting machine for use in shaping the marginal portions of the soles of boots and shoes.

-' To this and other ends my invention consists of a machine of the character described and mode of operation hereinafter 'more fully set forth, the'novel features of my invention being particularly pointed out and 0 defined in the claims at the close of the specification. 1

Other features of my hereinafter set forth. V

In theaccompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a lan view of a sole shaping -machine embodylng my invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the machine shown in Fig. 1,partof the jack mechanism beingshown as broken away and insection.

Figure?) is a plan view of the work rest' hereinafter referred to.

invention a are also Figures 4 and 5 are details illustratingthe construction and operation, of the cutter hereinafter described. f

Figure 6 is a front elevation of the jack mechanism hereinafter referred to.

chief object of my invention is to provide a havingthe peculiar features of construction Figure .7 is a section on line 7-7' of Fig. 6 with the last shown in Fig. 6 removed.

. Figure 8 is a nism shown in ig. 6. 1

Figure 9 is a perspective view of the heel portion of a shoe showing the manner in plan View of the ack mecha- I which the present machine bevels the marginalportion of the heel end of the sole;

Figure 10 is a dplan view of a boot or shoe showing thecon ition of the sole after hav- 1ng been operated upon by the present machine. e Figure 11 is a side elevation ofa low shoe showing a heel in position upon the same after the heel end of the sole has been shaped by my new machine.

The embodiment of my invention herein 7 shown includes a frame comprising 'a base 1* adapted to be fastened by screws 2 'toa bench 3 or other support. Upon this base 1' is fastened an arm or bracketthat is'forked at 1t s upper outer end and provided with bearings 5 supporting a cutter shaft 6.-

This cutter shaft 6 has fast u Ononeend thereof a pulley 7 through whic said'shaft is driven by means of a belt, not shown.-

' Upon the opposite end of shaft 6 is fixed a cutter 8 consisting, preferably, of a wheel of peculiarconstru'ction and mode of operation in that it is provided with cutting edges :9 and 9'upon itsoppositefaces, respectively, that are disposed crosswise of the axisof said wheel 8. These'cutting edges 9 and 9 join the ends of peripheral cutting edges 10 that are disposed lengthwise of said axis but preferably obliquelyv with relation thereto.- "I

Beneath and closely adjacent the cutter .8

is a work rest comprising a sole supporting a and upper shielding memberlQ and a--sole: positioning abutment member 13, both care: ried by a bracket 14 fastened by means of a screw 15 to a downward extension of the bed piece 1, said screw extending througha slot 16 formed in bracket 14 to permit of adjust: ment of the bracket and parts carried there; by toward and from thecutter. The bracket 14 rests upon a screw 17 on base 1 which affords means for raising and lowering the bracket and co-operates with screw 15 in holding the same rigidly in adjusted position. I The sole positioning abutment 13 is a bar slidably'mounted in'ways 18 upon the topside of bracket '14,said ways being paral-v lel with the plane ofthe cutter8. Upon its top side the abutment member- 13 is made with ways 19, also parallel with said plane, in which the sole supporting member 12 1s slidably mounted with its top side tangent to the circular path of the outer ends of the teeth 11 ot cutter S, orsubstantially so, as shown in Fig. i. The two members 12 and 13 are rigidly fastened together and to the bracket let by means of a bolt 20 and nut 21, said bolt extending through a hole 22 in the bracket l itand through slots 23 and 24% formed through the members 12 and 13, res ctively.

it? their inner rear ends the members 12 and 13 are engaged respectively, by screws 25 and 2G by means of which said members may be accurately adjusted relatively and positioned relatively to cutter S when bolt 20 is loosened saidscrcws being rotatably mounted upon the bracket 14: and held against endwise movement with relation thereto. i

The shoe that is to be operated upon,- shown at S and mounted upon a last, is presented sidewise to the workrest l2-l8 with the front work engaging end. or nose.

12' ofmembcr l2 occupying a position between the marginal portion ot the sole and the upper, and with said upper resting against the outer end oi: abutme 'it 13, all as shown in Fig. 4 in full lines and indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2. r

The work engaging nose 113 of member 12 is more or less wedge-shaped in vertical longitudinal section that when the shoe is forced back against the atmtinent 13 it crowds the marginal portion of the'sole upwardly across thelpath of thebladcs 11 which in rotating cut away the marginal portion of the outer side of the sole upon a bevel as illustrated in Figset, 9 and it). It

will beunderstood, of course, that the mid-.

dle portion of the heel of the outer sole is nailed or otherwise fastened to the shoe as usual so that only the marginal portion of the sole is lifted into the path of the cutter and operated upon by the latter.

During the cutting operation relative movement is effected between the cutter and sole in adirection to cause the cutter to traverse the marginal part of the heel of the sole from the breast at one side thereof around the heel end of the sole to the breast at the opposite side, the sole sliding across the top of the nose 12 as this movement proceeds. During this operation, also, the shoe is held against the abutment 13 which serves to determine the width of the bevel produced by the cutter, and itsposition with relation to the originalfoutline or edge of the heelot the sole.

The shoe may, if desired, be wholly supported and guided by the hands of the open ator during the cutting operation, or the machine may, as herein shown, be provided withjack mechanism for S1l [)P0l'lTlIlg and guiding the shoe while it is being operated upon by the cutter 8. i

The shoe supporting and guiding jack mechanism herein shown consists. of a jack comprising a table 27 pivotally mounted upon a pintle 28 that is supported by a forked arm or bracket 29 fastened to bracket 14. Table 27 has a fiat top upon which is slidably mounted a carriage 30 whose base portion 31 is part circular as shown, said part-circular portion bearinglagainst an u i stamling flange provided at the rear sid ot table 27 and parallel witlrthe axis of cutter 8. Upon its under side the carriage 30 is made with a T-slot 323 closed at each end and within which isarrangcd a T shaped block 341-. Block 34: is rotatably connected with table 27 by a stud bolt 35 whose center or axis is positioned the same distance away from flange 32 as the radius of the partrircular portion 31 of carriage 3O. tihdmg movement of carrlage 3O relatively to table 27 and block Set is limited inone direction by the end 36 of slot 33 and in the other direction by an adjustable stop 37, herein shown as a screw mounted on car riag'e 3t) and provided with a check nut 38,

The carriage 30 is made with a vertical or upwardly extendingtapped hole 89, Fig. 7, to receive the threaded shank of a vcrtically adjustable post d0, said post being secured in adjusted position by means of a.

check nut il. The upper end portion of this post is adapted to freely enter the socket of an ordinary last L and is made with an annular flange etilwhich serves as a supporting seat for said last. Post 4:0 is positioned so as to support the last with the curved rear end portion 43 at the back of the heel of the sole, Fig. 10, sl'lbstantially or approximately concentric with a perpendic ular Fig. 6, passing through the cen-l ter ot' the part-circular portion 31 of the carriage. 30. In other words the post 40 positions the last so that the curved back part 43 of the heel of the sole is concentric with the part circular portion 31. A toe, rest tt mounted on carriage 30 supports the forward end. of the last with its median line e-o, Fig. 10, canted or obliquely disposed with relation to the {1x18 01 cutter 8 so as to position the median line w 'w of the heel of the sole and last parallel with said axis.

The toe rest aid is made wit-ha round stem The adjustable stop screw 37 is provided to adapt the jack mechanism to heels of different lengths.

The axis of stud bolt 35 is in a planepindicated by line w o a, Fig. 6,.parallel withthe sides orfaces of cutter 8 h andpassing through the middle of the latter, the stop screw 37 being set sot-hat when inengagement with oneside of block 3a, the distance between the opposite side of said block and the end 36 of T-slot 33 is the same as the distance between -lines=e'2 and 11-06, said distance corresponding with the distance between the center ofthecurvedback 43 of the heel and a transverseline at the breast of theheel.

' When the last L endof the bevels", Fig. 9, at one side of the shank, and that if carriage is slid on table 27 in the direction of the arrow 0/; Fig. 6, to the limit of its movement in that direction tion, Fig. 1, so asto shiftthelast from posi tion 6 to position 0, during which time, or

' movement, the cutter forms the bevel s around the back 43 of the heel. From position 0 the carriage 30 is then slid on table 27 in the direction of the arrow 0 into position dwhere it is stopped by'the en age ment of stop screw 37' with block '34. dDur-z ing this latter movement of'the carriage from position 0 to position d cutter 8 forms the bevel along the opposite side of the heel as far as the breast. As will be clear, the cutting edges 9 and 9 produce clean-cut and abrupt perpendicular shoulders 8 Fig. 10, at the opposite ends of the bevel s to fit against the breast of the wooden heel H, Fig, 11 i There are many different styles of heels, some having breasts which are straight across and others having-breasts which'are concaved. are oblique. When shaping soles to receive heels of the first kind the cutting operation is started and finished with-the plane of the cutter perpendicular to the median line -ww,- Fig. 10, of the heel, and when shaping soles 'to receive heels of the second and third kinds the cutting operation should be started and finished withthe cutter 8 disposed obliquely with'relation to said median Inorder to ensure this proper relationship between the cutter and sole at the start and completion of the cutting operation I provide positioning gauges 4:7 and 48 at oppositesides, Figs; 6 and 8 of stud bolt 35, the

gauge 47 serving, by engagement with the with the shoe upon it; occupies the fullline position mshown in: Fig. 6, and the'shoe is brought into engage-= ment with the work rest as in Fig. 4, it will be clearthat the cutter 8 will form the breast Some, also, have breasts which outside i-ball of the sole, when the shoe" occupies position a,- to position the sole: properly w1th relation to the cutter at the start of-thecutting operatiom and the gauge 48 serving by engagement withv the inside ball-:of the be adjustedtoward and from carriage-30 to vary the angular-relationship between'the; shoulders sflFigs. 9 and 10, "and the median line w-aw accordin g to the styeof heel'that is to beappliedto thesole 7 v.When the cutting operation" has been com pleted .the ack mechanism is swung out-:

wardly on'thepintle 28 into a position where thetab'le 27 rests upon lugs 50, 50 projecting'from the arms of bracket 29, .t0 -permit of the removal of the last L and substitution{ of another.

WhatIclaim-is: x

' 1. A machine of the characterdescribed comprising a c'utter that'is continuously rotated in onev direction provided with side cutting edges and a transverse end cutting edge 'meansfor supporting .and positioning; a shoe sole while being operated upon by the cutter to form a bevel along the marginr thereof, and means for V limiting the move ment oflthe shoe sole with-relation to-the cutterto confine the latter to the heel portion of thesole. 1 g 2. A machine of the characterdescribed comprising a cutter that-:is continuouslyr0"- tated in one direction provided with cutting edges upon the opposite-sides thereof and with. a transversecuttingedge at the end: thereof; means for operating said 4 cutter; means for supporting and positioning a shoe sole while being-operated uponby 'saidcutter toform-a bevel along the margin thereof, and means for limitingthe movement of the shoe sole with relationto the cutter to con fine the cutting-operations of the latter to the heel seat of the sole. r 7. .1

3.'A machine of the character-described comprising a cutter movable on an axis and path of the outer end "of the approximately radial edge at 'thelopposite side'of said outter, and means for supporting a shoe-sole while being operated upon by said cutter.

4. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a cutter constructcd in accordance with claim 3, of a work rest comprising a sole supporting and positioning member engaging the crease at the side of the shoe between the marginal part of the sole and the upper to support said marginal part of the sole obliquely in the path of said cutting edges, and means for operating said cutter.

\ 5. A machine of the character described having, in combination, a cutter constructed in accordance with claim 3; a work rest comprising a sole supporting and position ing member engaging the crease at the side of the shoe between the marginal part of the sole and the upper to support said marginal part of the sole in the path of said cutting edges, and an abutment engaging the side of the shoe to control the width of the bevel produced by the cutter.

6. A machine of the character described comprising a rotating cutter provided upon each side thereof with approximately radial cutting edges that are disposed crosswise of the axis of the cutter and with peripheral cutting edges between the planes of the approximately radial cutting edges and disposed lengthwise of said axis, alternate peripheral cutting edges being obliquely dis posed in one direction with relation to said axis and the other peripheral cutting edges being obliquely disposed in the opposite direction with relation to said axis, and means forsupporting and positioning the sole of a shoe while it is being operated upon by said cutter.

7 A machine of the character described comprising a rotatable cutter; a sole supporting and positioning member to occupy the crease at the side of a shoe between the outer sole and upper so as to support the marginal part of the sole and present the same obliquely to the cutter, and means for supporting the shoe in co-operative relation with said member with provision for movement in a direction lengthwise of the axis of said cutter and rotatively.

8. A machine of the character described comprising a rotatable cutter; a sole supporting and positioning member to occupy the crease at the side of a shoe betwen the outer sole and upper so as to support the marginal part of a sole and present the same obliquely to the cutter; means for supporting the shoe in co-operative relative with said member with provision for movement in a direction lengthwise of the axis of said cutter and rotatively. and means for limiting the movement of the shoe lengthwise of the axis of the cutter to confine the operations of the latter to the heel portion of the sole.

9. A machine of the character described constructed in accordance with claim 7 and having also means for limiting the rotative movement of said shoe.

10. A machine of the character described constructed in accordance with claim 7 and having also means for limiting the movement of the shoe lengthwise of the axis of the cutter to confine the operations of the latter to the heel portion of: the sole, with provision for adjustment to adapt the machine to operate upon heel seats of unions lengths.

11. A mahcine of the character described constructed in accordance with claim 7 and having also means for limiting the rotative movement of the shoe so that the cutter occupies a dclinite angular position with relation to the median line of the heel seat when in position at the breast end of the latter.

12. A machine of the character described constructed in accordance with claim 7 and having also means for limiting the rot-ative movement of the shoe so that the cutter occupies a definite angular position with relalion to the median line of the heel seat when in position at the breast end of the latter, said last mentioned means having provision for adjustment to vary this angular relationship to accord with the style of heel to be applied to the sole.

lI-l. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a rotatable cutter; a sole supporting member between which and. said cutter the marginal portion of a sole is passed. said member occupying the crease at the side of a shoe between the outer sole and upper so as to support the marginal part of the sole against the trust of the cutter and present the same obliquely to the cutter, and an abutment engaging the upper of the shoe to position the latter relatively to the cutter.

14:. A machine of the cl'iaracterdescribed, constructed in accordance with claim 13" wherein said ITlBll'lbOl and abutment are relatively adjustable to vary the width of bevel produced by the cutter.

15. A machine of the character described comprising a cutter movable about an axis and havingapproximately radial cutting side edges disposed crosswise of said axis and an outer edge disposed lengthwise of said axis but obliquely with relation thereto, and means for supporting a shoe sole adjacent said cutter with its marginal portion ex. tending obliquely across the path of the edges of said cutter and with provision for movement of said sole and cutter relatively in a direction to cause the cutter to traverse the marginal portion of the sole and bevel the same.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature.

NICHOLAS L. GULLIFORD. 

